Vessel.



110157.418. PATENTED mmm, 1907.

v J. MoARDLB.

VESSEL.

APPLICATION nun J .18 no m 8 5 sums-suns! 1.

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PATENTBD JUNE 18, 1907 J. MoARDLE.

I VESSEL. APPLIUATIOI 1111.21: JAN. 1;, 190a.

INVENTOH WITNESSES! m M M A TTOH/VEYS PETERS 00., wasnmorun, a. c. I

No. 857,478. PATENTED JUNE 13, 1907.- J. MUARDLE.

VESSEL.

' APPYL OATI H I 0 FILED JAN 18, 1906 fisHEETFBHEBT a.

WITNESSES.

ATTOHNE rs 1m: humus PETERS s04, musmuarou, a. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VESSEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18,1907.

Application filed January 18,1906. Serial No- 296,585.

To ctZZ whom it Hung concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN McARDLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and Improved Vessel, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to vessels, its principal objects being to provide a structure which shall be safe, readily controlled and efficient, the speed developed being high as compared with the power applied.

It consists in the various features and combinations hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof, parts being omitted and broken away; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view with parts omitted; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of one of the stern bearings of the steering shafts; Fig. 5 is an end elevation of said bearing, parts being-broken away; Figs. 6 and 7 are vertical sectional details, on the lines 66 and 77, respectively, of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a central longitudinal section through one of the forward propellers; Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section through the frame,

. on the line 99 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 10 is a transverse section, on the line 10-1O of Fig. 9.

F designates a frame, conveniently formed of wooden beams of suitable sectional dimensions and comprising transversely-extending main members 10 and 11 situated near the forward and stern ends of the structure, and a pair of intermediate main members 12 and 12. Upon these transverse members rest longitudinal beams or frame members 13,

extending from the stern-beam 11 forwardly beyond the member 10 to inclined bow members 14, 14, diverging from the axis of the boat to the ends of the beam 10. Additional longitudinal members 15, 15 are shown outside the members 13 and extending from the beam 10 rearwardly, their portions toward the stern converging toward the outer member 13. All the longitudinal beams may be connected by transverse members 16, and a block 17 is also shown upon the central pair of members 13 forward of the first member 16. Diagonal stays 18 connect the block 17 with the forward beam 10, and these transverse beams and the secondary transverse members 16 with one another. These stays reinforce the frame against lateral strains. It is preferably held against vertical deflection by metallic tension members or rods 19 and 20, extending transversely and longitudinally of the structure. The former tension members truss the ends of the members 10, 11 and 12, they being'spaced from the central portions by depending brackets 21. The tension members 20 are shown as arranged in three groups, those designated by the characters a and 12 connecting the forward and stern transverse members with the intermediate members, while the rods 0 join the members 16. Each group of tension rods is provided with brackets 22, similar to those employed in connection with the transverse rods, and all these tension members of the entire system may include turn-buckles 23, by which they may be put under the proper stress.

The frame F carries a hull or body 24, shown as extending for the full length of the frame and between the members 15, 15. This hull may present any desired arrangement of decks, inclosing structure, companion-ways, and the like, and is braced laterally by struts extending from a portion considerably elevated above the frame to the outerextremities of the main transverse members.

Upon the under sides of the outer ends of the beams 10 and 12 are supported bearings 26 for longitudinal shafts 27, 27. Connected to the shafts 27 are shaft-sections 28 rotatable in bearings 29 upon the beams 11 and 12 The sections 27 and 28 are connected by universal joints 30 to permit the last-named sections to be swung laterally. The bearings upon the beams 11 and 12 are similar and similarly mounted, differing only in moving upon guides of different radii; therefore, but one need be described. The bearing portion proper is carried by a hanger 31, having, at its upper end, a cap or flange 32, curved to conform to an arc-shaped tracklate 33 fixed to the under face of one of t e main transverse beams and having overhanging ways 34 to receive the flanges. In the track plates are pairs of alined recesses 35, 35, in which rest reduced or journal portions 36 of rolls 37, which are shown as retained against downward displacement bysaddles 38 attached to the opposite sides of the trackplate. These rolls take the upward thrust of the bearing and are preferably provided, at

each side thereof, with flanges 39 which prevent lateral movement. To sustain the weight of the bearing, antifriction members or rolls 40 are rotatably mounted in the overhanging portions of the drag-plate, they having heads 41 lying in recesses in said plate, which may be closed by screw-plugs 42, prevelrliting the accidental displacement of th T0 8. 21 i The frame and body are supported above the normal-water-level, indicated at W, upon propelling floats 43 and 44 fixed to the shaftsections 27 and 28, respectively. Each of these floats includes a water-tight cylindrical portion 44 preferably divided into-a considerable number of air-tight compartments by partitions 45, which also support the outer shell, they being fixed to the shafts by hubs 46. Each float may have a conical nose 47, also divided into compartments. In each of the compartments throughout the entire system is preferably an opening, in which is inserted a nipple 48 to receive an air-tight lug or closure 48. Surrounding the outside of each cylindrical ortion of the float and its.

nose is a spiral b ade 49, extending from one end to the other. Between each of the convolutions of the spiral is a wall 50, inclined with respect to the body of the cylinder and to its axis, so that over the main portion it diverges therefrom forwardly. These walls 50, being fixedly attached to the portions 44 and to the s irals, serve as stays for the latter. In ad ition, stays in the form of rods 51 may be provided, joining the juncture of the walls 50 with the outer adjacent portions of the next convolution of the blades.

The shafts 27 and. 28, at the opposite sides of the boat, are rotated in opposite directions by a transverse operating shaft 52 journaled in bearings 53 bridged across the under faces of the members 12 and 12 neartheir extremities and their centers. Connecting the shafts 27 with this shaft 52 is bevel-gearing 54, the transverse shaft being in turn driven, from a vertical shaft 55 extending through the hull, by bevel gearing 56. Engines, indicated at 57, operate upon the vertical shaft through suitable gearing 58.

The shaft-sections 2S and their propellers are movable laterally, swinging about the universal joints, by links 59 articulated to the bearings upon the stern beam 11. At their inner, adjacent ends these links are pivoted to a connecting bar 60, guided by a series of rolls 61 mounted upon the beam.

The bar is provided with rack-teeth 62, with which meshes a pinion 63 fast upon a longitudinal shaft 64, which, as illustrated, is journaled in bearings 64 upon the beams 11 and 12 and the block 17. The longitudinal shaft is connected by bevel gearing 65 with a vertical shaft 66 extending to the pilothouse or bridge, where it is geared to the usual hand or steering-wheel 67. By this arrangement the floats 44 are caused to act as rudders.

The propelling floats hold the hull clear of the water, entirely eliminating thepushing and dragging movement present in the ordinary vessel when the hull is forced against the water by the use of a small propeller at the stern, which propeller causes the water to recede, and therefore sacrifices a great portion of the power As the propellers of this invention advance with a circular movement, much of the skin-friction is also gotten rid of; and as the floats with their long spirals have so much holding surface, the water will recede from them but little, secur ing nearly the full power of the engine. As the blades are so thin, they afford but little resistance of entry, the principal frictional loss being that caused by the forcing the blades against the Water to advance the boat. This is, of course, inevitable. The inclined Wall 50 assists in holding the hull clear of the water, and its direction of incline is such that the engine, in forcing it against the water, will assist in propelling the structure, and will also tend to lift its weight, while in motion, causing it to run high and thus reducing the resistance. A change in the direction of rotation of the propelling floats is highly eflective in stopping and reversing the movement of the boat, for the same reasons that the efficiency of advance is high. The great number of air-tight compartments render it practically impossible to sink the structure, and even if all should be crushed and leak, the hull maybe made buoyant, furnishing an additional means for securing safety. If any one of the propellers is so damaged that it takes in water and becomes submerged to a greaterdegree, the boat may be ballasted by removing the plugs from the other propellers and admittlng a sufficient amount of water to balance the one injured. If the motive power fails, the structure may be sailed or navigated in the usual manner by disconnecting the floats from the engine and allowing them to run free. Obviously, it will be impossible for a boat provided with such widely separated floats to tip over. On the contrary, it will run with great steadiness and presents the advantage of being navigable Without ballasting. Therefore, as it may be allowed to float higher in the water, the resistance is reduced. The manner of steering presents marked advantages over the ordinary method, in that the rudder usually employed resists the forward movement, while in my invention the steering means aids in propelling. The presence of the projecting floats at each side of the craft does not interfere with its tying up to a dock, since one of the sides of its bow may be presented to the Wharf-structure, as is indicatedby the dotted line at S in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Ill)

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A vessel comprising a frame provided with overhanging ways, a bearing having flanges cooperating with the ways, a shaft journaled in the bearing, a float carried by the shaft, and means connected with the bearing whereby to move the shaft.

2. A vessel comprising a frame provided with overhanging ways, a bearing having flanges cooperating with the ways, a shaft comprising a plurality of hinged sections, one of said sectionsbeing journaled on the frame, and the other in the bearing, floats carried by the shafts, and means for moving the bearmg.

3. A vessel comprising a frame provided with overhanging Ways, a bearing having flanges cooperating with the ways, a sectional shaft comprising a plurality of hinged sections, one of said sections being j ournaled on the frame, and the other in the bearing, a float carried by the shaft, an operating shaft, and a connection between the operating shaft and the sectional shaft.

4. A vessel comprising a frame, and a float comprising a plurality of sections hinged to each other and arranged longitudinally of the frame for supporting the same, and means for laterally moving the end of one of said sections.

5. A. vessel comprising a frame, a float pro- 'vided with spiral blades and composed of a plurality of sections hinged to each other and arranged longitudinally of the frame for supporting the same, and means for laterally.

moving the end of one of said sections.

6. In a vessel, a rotatable float having a cylindrical wall, a spiral blade projecting from the cylindrical wall, and an inclined wall extending between the convolutions of the blade.

7. In a vessel, a rotatable float having a cylindrical wall, a spiral blade projecting from the cylindrical wall, and an inclined wall extlending from the blade to the cylindrical wa l. 1

8. In a vessel, a rotatable float having a cylindrical wall, a spiral blade projecting from the cylindrical wall, and stays connecting the convolutions of the blade;

9. A vessel comprising a frame, a shaft journaled therein said shaft having independently movable sections, and floats carried by the sections.

10. A vessel comprising a frame, a shaft j ournaled therein and having independently movable sections, a universal joint connecting the sections, and floats carried by said sections.

11. A vessel comprising a frame, a shaft, a movable bearing for the shaft,. anti-friction members situated between the bearing and frame, and a float carried by the shaft.

12. A vessel comprising a frame provided with overhanging ways, a bearing having flanges co-operating with the ways, a shaft j ournaled in the bearing, and a float carried by the shaft.

13. A vessel comprising a frame provided with overhanging ways, a bearing having flanges co-operating with the ways, a shaft journaled in the bearing, and anti-friction members situated between the bearing and ways.

14. A float comprising a frame, longitudi nal shafts journaled at opposite sides thereof and having independently movable sections, an intermediate operating shaft, and con nections between the operating shaft and sections of the longitudinal shafts.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- JOHN MOARDLE.

Witnesses ANNA C. MITCHELL, WILLIAM M. QUIsnNBERRY. 

